Frozen Flames Part Two
by AleinaReigning
Summary: Part Two is up! Katara and Zuko had something, something she doesn't remember. Can he still win her over, or will her loyalty to Aang get in the way of the strange memories she has of loving this boy? Read and review, please! But read part one first
1. Chapter 1

Frozen Flames Part Two

Before we can begin where part one left off, I want to recap some of the things that happened before she and Zuko met in the crystal catacombs.

Aang watched Katara as she slept, cuddling up on Appa's saddle. Sokka was also sleeping, and Momo was curled up on his head. They'd been flying for a while now, and the young monk groaned, bored out of his mind. He looked down- they were right at the edge of what looked like a huge swamp- it went further than his line of vision, and he was just about to grab his glider and fly ahead when he heard Katara gasp. He whipped his head around, and watched as her eyebrows knitted together and she flinched, her body convulsing. She whimpered, and just as he went to wake her up, she said the name that Aang had come to hate.

"Zuko." she murmured, and reached a hand out drowsily, then drew it back to her body, gasping again as something in her dreams scared her. She let her fingers search through the air once more, and mouthed his name, opening her eyes just in time to let the tears spill out and hit the leather saddle beneath her. Aang turned away, feeling guilty.

After she had been fully healed after her imprisonment on Zuko's ship, it had taken forever for her to fully trust him again- she'd leaned heavily on her memories of being with her brother, and then rebuilt her past with his help. It had taken away some opportunities for him- like on Kyoshi Island when he was too busy helping her to go train with Suki and the rest of the Kyoshi warriors. That hadn't stopped him from going on a date with her, but apparently he'd said something stupid about how women weren't supposed to be warriors and she'd discovered his inner stupidity.

By the time they'd gotten to the North Pole and the Water Tribe which ruled it, they'd already had more run ins with Zuko than he could count. When Katara stole that water bending scroll, for example.

She's told her two companions about it later, about being tied to a tree by Zuko and asked about the Avatar's whereabouts. "It was weird though," she said quizzically, "one of the pirates threatened to hurt me if I didn't tell them where you were but Zuko totally freaked out and was all 'you will not touch a hair on her head' and stuff. He even threatened to burn the bending scroll. It was like he would have done anything to keep me from getting hurt." she finished off, blushing. Aang had looked away guiltily as Sokka convinced her she was wrong (he was never told anything about Katara's stay with Zuko, the two of them both thought she was simply kept in prison until he'd saved her) but he still didn't regret his choice to keep the way she had felt about Zuko a secret.

He had hope when she'd had a crush on Jet- but that ended once he tried to destroy the Earth Kingdom village, so Aang didn't know for sure if her feelings for Zuko were still there or not. And when that crazy general had tried to force him into the Avatar state by capturing her and making it look like he'd killed her, Aang had finally admitted to himself that he loved her. It had started to show right before they went to the fortune teller. He was her best friend, and she loved him… and who would be better for her to fall in love with than someone she trusted completely? Maybe he didn't have to rely on anyone else to keep her heart away from the Fire Nation's crown prince- maybe she would realize that all she'd ever need in a man was in Aang.

And then in the siege of the Northern Water Tribe, she had battled Zuko, and now her nightmares were back- horrible dreams where she couldn't reach the one she loved, couldn't even see him, and it ended when a blast of fire forced her backwards and made her hit her head, like Aang had told her of how she lost her memory. He hated seeing her go through that, but now that she was a master water bender, he could learn from her and go to the Earth Kingdom to find an earth bending teacher.

Aang snapped back to the present, realizing for the first time that Appa had started to dip in the sky, lower, towards the trees below them.

"Aang?" Katara said uncertainly. "Why are we going down?" He grabbed the reins and pulled upwards, away from the eerie lush ground beneath them. They continued to talk to each other, but he found his attention drifting back to the swamp- it wasn't noticeable, but he kept hearing a low murmur, like it was calling to him. Suddenly, a whirlwind came out of nowhere, and in the midst of the confusion and panic, they were thrown into the swamp.

As they got up, he looked around, trying to ignore the battered state of his body. A harsh realization came to him. "Where's Appa and Momo?" he asked uncertainly, and went up to the top of the trees to look- there was no sign of them, and he felt a deep pang in his stomach. He came back down, and Katara looked at his worriedly.

"You couldn't find them?" she asked, and he shook his head. Losing Appa was like a knife in his gut- they were the only members left of what had once been the great Air Nomad civilization- without him there, he felt so alone. He watched as Sokka hacked through the plants, and felt uneasy- something had gotten heavier in the air, and they felt like they were being watched.

Katara shivered- this place gave her the creeps, and without Appa, they had no way of getting out of the swamp. They walked around almost all day, and she found herself feeling more and more like she was being followed. Some of it was the fact that she could feel Aang's eyes on her, which confused her. He was like her little brother, but he didn't seem to think of her that way. She felt something grab at her ankle underneath the water, and she stumbled, shrieking as she wrenched her foot forward, barely listening to Sokka's panicked shouts and Aang's concerned questions.

"Something grabbed me!" She said, shuddering, and the two boys went still, looking around fearfully. She searched for higher ground, and found roots of the trees sticking up above the water. Katara scrambled over to them, trying to water bend the swamp river around her, but it was sluggish, feeling too heavy to give her a boost onto the stump.

"Aang, help me up!" She called, and felt his hand grip the sole of her foot. He boosted Sokka up in the same way and propelled himself up with the air surrounding them, and they continued their search for their animals.

Later that night, they stopped to make camp. Aang pulled her aside, worry plain in his grey eyes. "Have you noticed that every time Sokka chops something up, the air gets heavier? Like something doesn't like it." She shook her head, and he shrugged, looking downcast. "Maybe it's because I'm an air bender. It just doesn't feel right in here- it's like the air is alive, and not willing to cooperate."

"I feel the same way with the water. I tried bending it earlier, but it seemed like it didn't want to obey me…" She heard Sokka's laugh from behind her. She whipped around and glared at her brother as he tried to build a suitable fire. "What's so funny? Don't tell me you can't feel it too!" They bickered for a little while, even as they huddled together for warmth and comfort- she tried not to notice how Aang's hand twitched whenever she set her own palm against the earth next to his, like he wanted to touch her. She didn't know how to tell him that she didn't want that with him- besides, he hadn't made a move yet, so she figured she didn't have to mention it.

She was awoken from her sleep abruptly by Sokka's scream, and felt something cold and rough tug at her ankles. A yell tore itself from her throat as she was wrenched away from her brother and Aang- she looked down to see vines twisted around her body, moving sickeningly. A rock grazed the bottom of her foot, and she pushed down hard, pushing her body up in the air as her hands motioned frantically, calling on her bending water. She made water whips and started slicing the vines, running away as they came from every direction in the mist that surrounded her. After a while she slowed down, panting, and looked around, her stomach churning when she realized she was alone. She sighed, and started walking, glancing around for her companions.

By the next morning, she was exhausted, hungry, and frightened. The swamp was huge; she had known it all along. She'd been stupid to go looking for them; they were probably lost just like her! Hey eyes swept the greenish brown landscape, looking for the blue of Sokka's shirt, or the brightly colored monk's uniform Aang wore. Suddenly, she saw something- light blue, and tall. She stepped closer, and her heart fell when she was the long hair- it wasn't her brother.

"Hello? Hello? Can you help me?" she asked the figure, but they didn't turn, or even acknowledge her voice. She peered at them- there was something familiar about the clothes they wore, and the style of their hair. She gasped as it hit her.

"Mom? Mom!" She cried, running towards her. "I can't believe it's you-" Her hand touched rough wood, and she reared back, shocked. It was a stump sticking out of the water. Her mother was dead. And it was still her fault. Katara collapsed to her knees and sobbed. There had been one hope in her heart, and it was gone, broken into a thousand pieces by her own stupid imagination. "I miss you." she whispered brokenly, and suddenly, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She gasped, not daring to look up. If this was a delusion, she didn't want to ruin it. She waited for something to happen and closed her eyes expectantly.

"Katara… it's not your fault." She froze, hearing Zuko's voice behind her. Her mind was torn, she wanted to turn around and see if it was real, but at the same time, the words echoed to her from another part of her heart- this had happened before, she knew it.

"Zuko?" she asked, and his hand grew warmer, she closed her eyes again at the sensation and stood up slowly, feeling strong arms wrap tenderly around her waist- she laid her head on a phantom chest, and suddenly she wasn't in the swamp anymore, she was staring into the eyes of a handsome young man, and the words were coming out of her mouth as a reflex. "I love Aang as a friend, but I think I might love you as something different." Tears gathered in her eyes, this was in a different place and time, a fantasy- Aang had told her how much she hated the Prince, but this felt familiar- it was real, like seeing her mother had not been. He pulled her close and kissed her roughly, and she tensed up at the swell of emotion in his voice.

"Oh, Tara. I love you too," he murmured against her hair, and she felt her knees buckle, the world go black. When she awoke, she was lying on a small patch of dry ground, looking down at her hands. They seemed empty, but she was slowly becoming aware of a body against her back, an arm draped over her waist. She sat up abruptly with a scream, shying away from the feeling- but when she looked behind her, no one was there. There was something nagging at the back of her mind, but she could only think about what had happened. The memory had been bright and full of details, things she wished she knew- now that it was over, she wasn't entirely sure it had been real. She sighed, burying her head in her hands, and felt something warm wash over her, like the sun.

"Remember, Katara…" A whisper carried on the winds, and she felt tears coursing down her cheeks.

"I'm trying, but I can't! Why? Why do I remember things that never happened?" she cried, and suddenly saw Zuko in front of her. He looked at her gently, pain visible in his eyes- he searched her blue orbs longingly.

"It did happen. Please, remember, I need you." he said softly, and leaned forward to caress her cheek. Before his hand could reach her, something collided with her sharply, and the breath was knocked out of her. She flew backwards, hitting something hard but soft and knocking it over. She looked around and saw Aang rubbing a spot on his head, eyes apologizing for running into her. And Sokka was yelling at her.

"What do you guys think you were doing? I've been looking all over for you!" She shot back a snotty comment, and then stopped short when Aang talked about seeing a girl. Sokka joked around, but she glanced down. She wasn't the only one who had seen things.

"I thought I saw… Mom." she said uncertainly, deciding not to mention Zuko. After all, if Aang had seen someone he didn't know, it might have just been a hallucination. She comforted herself with that notion, shivering slightly at the feeling that she had missed something that was greatly important.

After that night, her bad dreams stopped. They were replaced by a feeling of well being and warmth that carried over into her waking moments- it felt like a calloused hand stroking the length of her cheek, or a small kiss on her forehead. Sometimes she dreamt strange things- an older, somewhat familiar man pouring her tea and smiling, a scarred face becoming whole again under her small, delicate hands. She didn't mention them to Aang- especially not when his crush on her became even more obvious.

They went to a smaller town to find Aang an earth bending teacher, and he came across Toph Bei Fong, a smaller girl his age who was not only a skilled master, but blind. She and Sokka became best friends from the start. By that time, they hadn't seen Zuko since the battle at the North Pole, but his sister was hunting them, and proved to be much more of a threat. Azula and her friends Mai and Ty Lee were lethal, and when they went to a library to gain information on the Fire Nation, they lost Appa. The same day they learned about a solar eclipse, one that would render the fire benders completely useless. Knowing they would have to tell the Earth King about it if they wanted a chance to defeat the Fire Lord Ozai, the group decided to go to Ba Sing Se- the Earth Kingdom's capital.

On their journey they had once again run into the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, Sokka's friend Suki. She led them across the Serpent's Pass, and had rescued Toph when she had fallen into the water during an attack- the blind girl used earth bending to sense her surroundings, and in water, she had no idea how to save herself. After that, Suki had given Sokka a talking to- something Toph had said about Sokka when she resurfaced had made her ask Sokka how he felt about Toph, and he had thought about it. Now he and Toph were together, best friends and something more than they couldn't really put their finger on. It was love, but not lust- they were too young. Suki had departed, and things had gone back to normal.

But Aang had changed. Since losing Appa, he had become mean and lonely. It hurt to see him like that, but there was nothing she could do. Things had changed, and the course of their adventures led them to Appa- and to the crystal catacombs underneath Lake Laogi, where Katara was put in a cell with the boy she felt so strongly for, and who she most feared- Zuko.

**Okay, so this was the prologue- I hope it cleared some stuff up for you. I'm not entirely happy with it, but I had to get it out of the way before actually starting. Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

"What are you doing here?" she yelled as he tumbled through the opening of the cave. Katara stumbled back as the green crystals molded themselves back into the previous shape, barring the exit he'd been thrown from, looking anywhere but at the boy who was slowly getting up. He didn't answer her, and she sensed him watching her from the corner of her eye as he hesitantly drew closer to her.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, they were together. He halted as he looked at her, torn apart by the fear and confusion in her face. She wasn't looking at him- her gorgeous eyes, the features that had haunted his dreams, were searching for an escape. His throat tightened as Zuko's golden stare zeroed in on the hollow in her neck. He had never given the necklace back, and he hated the way her delicate fingers reached up to brush her skin, longing for the smooth pendant to draw comfort from. He couldn't speak- it all came crashing down on him at one time, and he dropped to his knees, fighting the despair that suffocated him.

She was watching him now, her eyes roving his body and seeing nothing but surrender. She felt the oddest sensation of protectiveness- like it would be the best thing in the world to help him be strong. She thought back to the swamp, how she had seen him and felt his presence, how the memory that had surfaced had only made her desperate to remember more. She was scared though- scared of how her heart thumped unevenly when she thought about it, frightened by how she longed to feel that warmth again. He looked again at her, noticing that she'd calmed down, and he stood up, taking a deep breath and knowing his next few words had the power to change their lives for the better.

"Katara…" She jumped at the sound of her name on his lips, and her eyes unwillingly shot to his face- she felt a deep, wrenching pain in her chest, and something battered against her mind, tantalizingly out of reach. It was the same feeling she had gotten in the swamp when she had heard his voice. She was missing something. "You don't remember, do you?" His question was soft, regretful, and she shied away from it instinctively.

"I don't know what you're talking about." she denied, and out of nowhere, tears began to slide down her cheeks. She was stunned, and brought a hand up to her face, wincing at the old pain in her side that acted up occasionally. She felt him right behind her and whirled around, hands automatically going to the pouch which contained her bending water. "Stay away from me," she hissed, and was once again bowled over by the sensations running through her body, the confusion in her head. It was backwards- every instinct told her to drop her guard, but her conscious mind screamed at her that he was the enemy. She buried her face in her hands as frustrated tears pricked at her eyes. "Why? What about you is so… familiar? This doesn't make sense. I'm supposed to hate you!" she cried, throwing her hands down, noticing he'd stepped closer. And suddenly, his arms were around her shoulders- she gasped, immobilized by shock but at the same time never wanting to pull away. Her eyes fluttered shut as she sagged into him, resting her head on his chest, feeling his hammering heartbeat.

"I know that you don't remember everything. But I think I might have a way for you to get your memory back- are you tired of the lies, Tara? Of the pretending, the confusion? I know what you're going through- it's been hell knowing that I wasn't in your thoughts. I turned it against you and hunted you for a reason- eventually, the Avatar stopped mattering to me. All I could think of was helping you remember what we had- what we still could have." His words sent a wave of anticipation through her body. It was as if he could see into her heart, her mind, and find what emotions lay there. His mouth grazed the top of her head, and suddenly he was gripping her chin and molding his lips softly to her mouth.

Katara's mind exploded. All she could see was a thousand moments she had forgotten, all she could hear was his laugh- all she could feel was his touch, his love. She finally remembered, and it was overwhelming.

"Zuko… I- I remember now." She looked deep into his eyes for the first time in a long time, and saw the passion she had missed for so long. Her world faded as she fell to the ground, supported by his strong arms, her last thoughts being of how it felt like she was finally home in his embrace- this was what she had been missing.

Zuko watched in horror, panicking as she lay still in his arms. He cried her name, feeling for a pulse, and breathed a sigh of relief. She was alive, just unconscious, probably swept under by her own mind. There was something deeply rooted in his chest, his stomach, every single part of him that was growing, threatening to spill over as he realized it had worked- she was back, and he would never be alone again. He bent down and touched her skin, savoring the feeling of her peace, knowing he had unleashed what she had once referred to as the most powerful thing she'd felt. He smiled at the memory- it had been before she confessed her love to him, but even then he could tell that something real was happening. It didn't scare him. He brushed his calloused thumb across his cheek as he waited for her to wake up, trying to plan a way to get out.

Katara woke up gradually, feeling tired and happy. She coasted on the sensation, smiling faintly and hearing a responding chuckle from above her. Her eyes opened wide suddenly, and she stared straight into the face of the boy she loved as the world slowly came to a halt. She reached up, running her fingertips across the place his scar had been- remembering how she had healed it right before Aang had come to take her, right before she'd been injured and lost her memory. She jolted up abruptly with a gasp- Aang. She'd forgotten about them- were they hurt? Were they locked up somewhere too?

"How long was I out?" she asked Zuko, and he looked alarmed at the change of events.

"Not even five minutes, I think- what's wrong? Are you alright?" She nodded, berating herself. _I can't believe myself, I forgot about everyone! And Sokka, Toph- Azula said something about the letter from her parents being fake, and what if Sokka and Dad ran into the Fire Nation? Can Aang master the Avatar state?_

"I'm worried about the others." she said simply, and he nodded in agreement, his eyes downcast.

"Me too. I don't know if my uncle escaped or if the Dai Li agents got him. And I've looked, but there's no way out of here." He sighed, his eyes troubled, but looked at her with a complex emotion behind his intense gaze. "Katara, I hate that we're in this situation… but I'm so glad I am here with you. For the girl you love to think you're a monster- its agony." She hesitated, feeling slightly off balance. In her newly recovered recollections, she had loved him, and it felt so right being with him. But for the past weeks she had spent time with Aang, and she knew in her heart that the only reason he had lied to her was to protect her, and that he protected her because he loved her.

"Zuko… I don't know what to do. Aang needs me, and so does Sokka and Toph- my place is at the side of the Avatar, he's my best friend." she murmured, not daring to look at him. She felt tears fall from her eyes, and didn't bother to stop them. "I'm still so confused… we have love, but I don't know if I trust you or if we can even be together. It's too sudden and-"

He interrupted her. "Katara, its okay, I understand. I've done many things I'm not proud of, but who says we can't be together? I know that you're surprised and you probably don't know how to feel about me, but you're one of the most important things in my life. I've lost you once, and I went through hell to find you again. You're my hope- all I want to do is keep you with me." He stepped forward, taking the younger girl into his arms and whispering against her hair like he'd done so long ago, comforting her to bring peace to his own soul.

"Okay." he heard her say softly, and he pulled away slightly so he could search her cerulean eyes. She was doubtful, he could tell, but there was a firm determination in the set of her jaw that gave him a glimpse of her strength. "I believe you… and even though I feel strange, I still trust you, I guess. When we get out of here, we will figure it out." she said, and then she smiled. "I love you. I remember now, I love you and we should be together even if everything else tears us apart." He smiled, wild with joy, and bent down to meet her lips with his, finding his heart etched into the contours of her face, the beat in her heart, everything that made him hers forever.

**It's shorter than usual, but I loved writing it. Please review! Thanks for reading :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry it took so long for me to update! Things have been extremely crazy, my mistake. Here you go!**

Seconds after their lips met, the wall exploded. Zuko threw her back, his eyes zeroed in on the large, circular hole, and kept an arm flung out, shielding her. He felt something cool and wet lick the length of his arm, and knew that she was reassuring him with her water- it made him smile as he got into his stance.

Then Uncle and the Avatar stepped out. He dropped his guard as he felt himself being squeezed half to death, and saw that Katara was giving Aang the same treatment- he also noticed the glare on Aang's face, and felt an answering sneer come across his own features. The water bender let him go and took a step back as Iroh retreated, watching the scene with a small grin on his features.

"Aang, I remember now. About Zuko, about what happened on the Fire Nation ship- everything. And I want you to know that it wasn't your fault, what made me lose my memory." The young man's face filled with disbelief and horror as she stepped back further, lacing her fingers through Zuko's. "He wants to be with me, and I want to be with him too. We can help each other-" A cold laugh came from above them, and they all whipped around, her monologue interrupted by the appearance of Azula and a Dai Li agent. Zuko felt hate constrict his throat and growled deep in his chest, pulling Katara behind him protectively.

"Katara, get out of here, now!" he whispered vehemently, and she took a breath, protesting- he shoved her back as green crystals shot up from the ground she'd been standing on. "Get Aang and go!" he yelled, readying himself. A moment later, Iroh yelled in shock- his body was encased in bright green rock, his arms bound and his head the only thing that was free. Azula jumped down from her perch as Zuko's heart beat frantically- get Uncle out or go help Katara? It took him only a moment to decide, he turned to Iroh's imprisoned form.

"Ah-ah-ah, Zuzu, not a good idea. See, you're going to want to listen to what I have to say. I have more than one hundred Dai Li agents stationed in the area you have just sent your little girlfriend and the Avatar- yes, I know about her. I always have- you might want to make sure you keep your next forbidden relationship a secret from your crew, they were easily persuaded to tell Zhao about what you had done, and he was very easily persuaded to tell me," she intoned, grinning wickedly. Blue fire sparked at his fingertips, and he flinched, keeping his face free of all emotion. She continued, "Now, right now those agents have orders to kill the Avatar and his friends on sight- with your help, I can make certain she survives to live another day. Join me, leave behind this traitor you call Uncle and let go of your silly feelings for her. Save her, and then forget her and come back to your destiny."

He hissed at her, furious and trapped- in the back of his mind he was cursing her because he knew she had him, but he was torn- leave them behind to save her life, or die fighting with them only to lose her forever? "Why are you doing this?" he shot at her, and she frowned, her eyes pitiful- a lie.

"I can't do this without you, Zuko. The royal family needs you, the Fire Nation needs you. As heir to the throne, you are a vital part of the future, and you must choose the destiny you were born for. I leave it to be your choice, but I suggest you act quickly- or her blood will forever be on your hands." She walked out of the room slowly; leaving him slumped on the floor in internal agony.

"Zuko." His uncle's voice startled him. "You must choose the right path- fight with Katara and Aang, if you die, you die in honor. Please, do not allow yourself to be led from the path of good by your sister. Azula always lies, remember?" The world stood still as he felt a burst of intuition- if he saved her now, he would be in a position to keep her safe later. He could make sure the Avatar was alive by getting in Azula's way- he'd make it look accidental, and then when he was home he would be able to keep a close eye on Azula and keep his Katara safe. He stood up and went to the old man, who struggled under the watchful eye of a single earth bender and looked him in the eye, pleading him to understand what he was really trying to say.

"You stupid old man. I am going to fight along my sister, you heard her, and the Fire Nation needs me! I will not betray the crown." he said spitefully, but his eyes begged Iroh to play along- the man lowered his head in fake defeat and disgust, and let his nephew run out of the room.

The scene he ran into was awful- Azula had one arm trained on Aang, and the other two fingers of her right, more powerful hand, were aimed straight at Katara's heart. They were at an impasse, one he prayed to Agni that Katara would forgive him for breaking. He ran up and without hesitation moved into his stance, aiming at Azula- her golden eyes narrowed, and the Avatar breathed a short sigh of relief before Zuko switched positions blindingly fast and fired a ball of flame at the boy- he dodged it with a yell and fought back, and all hell broke loose.

She did not let the tears fall from her eyes, she couldn't let the pain distract her- across the floor was the boy she loved, and his hot fire lashed at her again and again as she countered each stroke with a water whip. A primal roar tore itself from her throat- "I thought you changed!" she screamed at him, and in an instant her concentration was lost- she saw a line of fire coming straight for her right arm and knew there was no time to shield from it- and then it swayed upward, missing her completely. She looked back to Zuko in confusion; saw the pain on his face.

"I have changed!" he yelled, and she started- she knew what that meant. Back when she had been his prisoner, she had paid close attention to the way he spoke, the way he lied when he didn't want to talk about something. If he was asked a question and he didn't want to answer it, he'd repeat the words as a comeback and storm off- she had followed him once, and he had told her everything. This couldn't be a coincidence- but where could they talk in private? Her eyes swung around wildly, and out of the corner of her eye she saw something brilliant and blue raging towards her- she put up a water wall but Azula's fire was too much, it knocked her off her feet and into the green crystals behind her, and suddenly she couldn't move her body.

He watched in horror as she flew backwards, and put a hand on Azula's arm. "You promised!" he bellowed, and her eyes narrowed, looking exasperated.

"If she's already taken out, the Dai Li agents will not attack her. Really, now, you got stupider, Zuzu." She muttered scathingly, and he watched as she turned around, firing at the Avatar as he sat down and pulled crystals from the ground to cover himself fully- a strangely familiar white light began glowing as Dai Li agents appeared from the walls, surrounding them all, and Zuko knew he didn't have much time- he ran to where his love lay, just coming to, and kissed her swiftly. His hands fumbled in his pockets for a moment as he whispered in her ear.

"I know you think I'm betraying you, but I'm doing this to save you- I'll explain someday, please trust me on this and wait for me, please Katara I'm so sorry." Her blue eyes opened and she nodded slightly, then gasped when he pulled her mother's necklace from his sleeve- he caressed her face and committed her expression to memory before kissing her and leaving her there, clutching her mother's necklace and watching him as he bounded back into the fight as Aang rose up in the air- he was in the Avatar state, she knew they would be okay and a small smile flitted across her lips.

And suddenly, lightning erupted in the sky, piercing Aang's back and bringing a scream from her lips. In a second she was rushing towards him on a wave, tears flying from her eyes as she took down all who stood in her way. She caught him and whimpered- no pulse. She watched in horror as Azula began to laugh, facing Katara with a perfect stance as Zuko stepped forward, trying to protect her from his sister as she made ready to attack, to break the promise that had bound him to her service.

A wall of fire sprang up, knocking them back as Iroh touched down in front of Katara and Aang's still form and yelled at them to get out of there. She acted without thinking, just let the water guide her- it spiraled around their bodies and rose up from under their feet, propelling them into the sky, through the hole they'd made earlier in the ceiling.

The second they were safe, Iroh calmed his chakra and surrendered, the great general standing with dignity as earth benders captured him. Zuko watched in sadness as the one man he trusted with his life was taken away, without a glance towards his conflicted nephew.

Katara uncorked the vial, praying to Yuen that it would be enough to bring her best friend back to life- the water glowed blue, the same shade of Azula's fire, and she shuddered, feeling the power radiating from the cold liquid that felt almost alive. She leaned Aang's body forward as her brother held Toph, tears slowly leaking from her blind, scared eyes, and pressed the water to his wound. She felt a deep pain rack through his body and bit her lip, holding him close as she felt his arrow glowing- he took a shallow breath, and her heart lifted as his heart began to beat on its own.

When Aang was resting comfortably and Sokka had taken Appa's reins, directing him towards their father's camp, she pulled her mother's necklace from her pocket and tied it around her throat, remembering Zuko's last words to her. _It won't be long, _she thought_, until he comes back. I just have to wait. He loves me- he'll return, I know he will. _Her eyes closed against the tears, she knew she had to be stronger if she was going to get through whatever happened next.

**Hope you liked it! Please review, and check out my other stories! Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4

"All hail Prince Zuko!" Cheers erupted from beneath him as he stepped forward on the balcony, looking down at his father's people- his own people, now. The waves of noise surrounded him, caressed his skin, and he raised a hand, acknowledging their praise.

They all thought the Avatar was dead. They all thought he was responsible. But he had hunted the boy for years; he knew that he was still alive even if no one else knew. And as much as it hurt him, he knew it was for the best. Now that there was no threat to search for, they would be safe- Katara, her brother Sokka, the little blind earth bender named Toph, and whoever their allies were.

Zuko felt a hand grip his shoulder tightly and came out of his reverie to stare at Azula. Her eyes were cold and cruel, but her smile leered at him in what could be mistaken as true affection. "Welcome home, brother!" she proclaimed, and her voice echoed out over the sea of people who sent up an answering roar of approval.

Katara spotted the camp before anyone else and shook Sokka awake, her heart beating in her throat. "I see it!" she yelled over the roar of the wind, and jumped down from the saddle to Appa's reins. Sokka went to work securing their stuff for the dive as Toph woke up, green faced and grouchy. She went over to Aang's still form and rubbed a hand over the fuzz on the top of his head with a smirk before pounding lightly on his chest, getting a good look at his vitals.

"Everything's good with baldy! Well, now he's got hair, so I guess I can't call him that anymore. Hmm. Everything's good with airhead!" Her high, stubborn voice affirmed, and Sokka smiled wearily, tapping her on the shoulder as the signal that she should hold on. Her smile faded into a look of disgust, and she latched onto his arm. "I hate landing," she grumbled, and the Water Tribe warrior chuckled and kissed the top of her head.

"Yip yip!" Katara said, and snapped Appa's reins, leaning forward and giving him slack. The huge animal groaned and angled downwards, gaining speed as the ground got closer. Toph squealed a very un-Toph-like squeal, gripping Sokka so hard that he gritted his teeth in pain, but he never complained.

Katara bit her lip as they hit the ground, paying close attention to how Sokka jumped off and took care of the earth bender until she herself touched the ground. It was in those few moments in which she was airborne that their bond truly showed. She mused to herself that maybe one day they'd actually admit to loving each other. The thought tore her heart into little pieces as the face of her own love flashed in her mind. They'd only had minutes when she needed days, months. Only one kiss when she longed for forever in his arms.

And then Zuko was gone when she had needed him there. "Hey Sugar Queen, we need to get Aang down from the saddle!" Toph yelled in her usual brash way, and Katara nodded, pushing the bitter thoughts aside. She wordlessly pulled a great wave from the ocean, and with a circular twist of her arms she flattened it out into a large disk. She splashed it onto Appa's saddle to get the water underneath the Avatar, then pulled it from the leather and froze it so that Aang was lying on a sheet of ice. She brought her long arms in a swoop over her head and the ice followed her command, hovering to the ground next to her and then melting, running off his body and back into the ocean.

The group of teenagers got him onto a moving rock platform of Toph's, and they made their way down the hill. It had been years since she'd seen her dad- Sokka had talked about how he hadn't changed at all, and a small bubble of excitement rose in her stomach, making it hard to breathe. They entered the camp to cheers for the safe return of the war heroes, and it was hard to keep from smiling as she recognized the men from her village. There was Bato and Nirnuk weaving a net, and the butcher, her uncle Drokil, came out to clap Sokka on the shoulder as they came by. Only then did they seem to realize that something was wrong, the Avatar wasn't walking with the rest of them- was he injured? Hushed murmurs cloaked their backs as a man came forward, introducing himself as Chief Hakoda's third in command, Ape'gtu. They were led straight into the largest tent, and Toph waited outside as Katara and Sokka went in, leaving his sleeping body in her small but capable hands.

"Dad." she whispered brokenly, tears falling freely from her eyes, and the man looked up, smiling when he saw his daughter and son standing before him. His own identical eyes misted over as he pulled them in for a hug, and Katara broke down completely, wrapping her arms around his waist and feeling his lips moving gruffly on her hair. She cried for Aang, for Zuko, and for herself. "I missed you!" she cried, and Sokka pulled back, letting Hakoda wrap his arms more securely around his daughter.

"Spirits, Katara honey, you look so much like your mother. You have no idea how much I've missed you." They stayed like that for another moment before Bato interrupted gently. He asked where Aang was, and Katara felt fresh agony brewing just under the surface. "He's hurt, I tried to heal him but he's still not awake- Toph's with him now outside." Hakoda's face hardened as they all stepped out into the sunlight, and he called some of his men to bring the boy to the healing tent.

"Now Katara, your brother told me about your healing abilities, and I'm so proud of you for that, by the way. A lot of my men are hurt, just minor burns and such. Maybe you could try to work on Aang a little bit more and then heal my men? If you're not feeling up to that, then its okay, honey." His tone of voice was understanding and gentle, and she sighed, nodding and making her way to the first man. He was clutching his side and she noted the bloodstained bandages at the side of his bed. He moved his hand away and she saw a large gash right between his ribs. Looking at the injury brought a small pang of hurt to her own old wound, but also confidence made her smile gently- she'd healed it before, she could heal it now.

"Hello, my name's Katara. Are you experiencing any dizziness or nausea?" The young man introduced himself as she took the cap off her bending water and pulled it out, onto the cut. He sighed in relief as she worked, feeling the flow of his own energy. She restored his side and ran a finger over both of his wrists and neck to improve blood circulation to the area, and then moved on to the next person. This was a woman dressed in an earth bender's uniform. She'd been captured by Fire Nation soldiers then escaped with a burn on her shoulder, then had found the tribe and guided them around. Katara worked away the old skin and stimulated the skin cells before turning and continuing her work.

There was only one person in the tent other than Aang that she still had to heal. She brushed the sweat from her forehead and ignored the feeling that she was seriously exhausted, turning the sleeping boy over and gasping as she caught a glimpse of his injury.

"He was in a fight with a highly advanced fire bender- a general in the army. There's nothing we can do for something so serious. We've been keeping him asleep so that he won't have to feel the pain. Can you do anything for him?" Hakoda's voice was soft and pleading, but she couldn't tear her horrified eyes away from the burn that covered his chest, arms and neck. His face was almost smooth save for an ugly burn that covered his left eye- she swayed on her feet as an image exploded in her mind of Zuko's face before she'd healed it- the wasted skin had been wrinkled and discolored, sickening.

Her hands wavered as she drew more water onto her palms and ran it over his skin. The bond that connected the healer and the victim was faint, but she could feel everything, the sting everywhere on her own skin, making her shudder at the pain. The water was doing little for the soldier- his breathing was heavy and labored, and her own lungs felt the pressure. She groaned quietly as the burn finally started to heal, and she kept at it.

The pain in her body receded as his faded away, and it was so relieving to finally be free of it that she was giddy. She turned to Aang, swaying dangerously on her feet, and reached out a hand that felt as heavy as lead. "Stop, Katara, that's enough." her father said, and at that moment her legs buckled underneath her and she fell into his strong, supporting arms.

Zuko felt a sudden weariness come over him during dinner, and he excused himself, ignoring his servants' disapproving stares. As he made his way into the royal bedchamber he stripped off the ceremonial armor and let his hair down from its top knot. He slumped into his silk sheets and turned over, instantly falling asleep.

There was only one thing in his dreams. He followed her as she wove her languid way through a small crowd of people and into a small, dark room. Blue water flashed in her hands as it touched a burn, and his skin crawled as he felt a dull sting all over his body. She was weaving as she moved, and he longed to help her, be her strength. She collapsed, he reached forward, and Agni, she was right there but so far away, all he could do was hold onto the feeling of her spirit as everything else faded.

Katara smiled as warmth ran its way over her body, and reached a hand out to touch the face before her, the golden eyes looking at her softly and a backdrop of red silk lulling her into a strange sort of comfort. Pale skin brushed her dark hair from her face, strong limbs wrapped around her small, delicate waist, and his voice murmured in her ear. "I'll be your strength…" She opened her eyes, expecting to see him right next to her, but instead she was in an empty room, there were no red and gold trappings and sheets, just dark grey wolf-tiger pelts and small seal oil lamps burning dimly in the darkness.

She could still feel his warmth through, so she smiled and went back to sleep, back to the dreams of being wrapped in Zuko's arms as they slept where no one could touch them.

**Hope you liked it! I'm determined to actually have a story line in this, so I'm giving the couple some time apart. Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

Katara wearily collapsed onto the bed in the large, metal walled room. They had come across the Fire Nation ship, and it had been Sokka's idea to capture it and abandon their Water Tribe boat. The damages had gotten worse, and she had had to bend the water outside the boat for another two hours, and then she had run up on deck and frozen the water around the Fire Nation ship so that the warriors and her could battle the sailors and soldiers and take over the vessel.

It exhausted her- by the time they'd finished moving everything onto this boat she could hardly walk, and it was all she could do to check on Aang (still sleeping) and find an empty room to crash in. She slipped off her boots, her body aching, then peeled the rough cloth of her tribal dress from her body and yanked the silky sheets down on the bed, crawling beneath them. She didn't care that they still smelled like the man who had occupied this room before her- he was now abandoned on Bato's boat with the rest of his comrades. In a few moments her breathing leveled out, her body relaxed, and her dreams took her to where she longed to be.

Zuko could feel her. She was lying right beside him, and as long as he didn't open his eyes, she would stay. He thought her name to himself, and her hand covered his unscarred face as it had the moment she'd healed him. _I miss you_, he told her silently, and she smiled. _I miss you too. Zuko, I'm so tired. Everything is so hard… Someone died today because I couldn't save them._ He felt pain that wasn't his own, and sighed, wrapping phantom arms around her awareness and pulling her close. They stayed like that for a while, and she could sense his bitterness. _I'm sorry Katara,_ he said finally, _I have to keep protecting you, and you're not going to like how I do it. But if Father were to find out about you- he would kill you just to spite me. I'm so sorry._ She was suspicious, he could tell, and he desperately tried to hold onto her image as she pulled away, leaving him alone once again.

He let his eyes drift open and stared up at the canopy above his bed, draped in dark red velvet. It was like everything he did was to help her, but whenever he helped her, it pushed them further apart. He would've given anything to be holding her, and instead he would have to hold Mai. Zuko laughed bitterly. There was no way Azula would keep quiet about Katara if he hurt Mai, and that left only one thing. She was a cool girl, an excellent fighter- but he didn't want her.

His fists found his hair, and he groaned in anger. Then he stood up and set fire to the royal emblem on the wall, watching red flames devour the harsh black symbol and standing still as servants rushed in, crying out in alarm and splashing water onto the fire. When they'd finished and left, satisfied with his explanation of a 'training accident', he couldn't look at the smoking remains of something where fire and water hadn't worked together.

One Month Later

Katara wiped the sweat from her brow and bowed while the students from Aang's school clapped wildly. They'd just finished their dance- it was like sparring without her water, and she'd had more fun that she'd had in years. Aang grinned at her cheesily from beside her, wiping sweat from as much forehead as he could show with his curly chestnut hair and headband.

It had been his idea to continue going to school in the Fire Nation, and from how the little girl named On Ji came up and hugged him, gushing about the performance he and Katara had given them, it wasn't hard to see why. Aang blushed, but his gaze slowly slid back to Katara's face, and she bit her lip. It was obvious to her that he hadn't got over his feelings for her, and it was getting worse. He knew all about Zuko (she'd never been able to keep secrets from him) but it was like the competition just made him keener to have her. She felt regret hit her like a punch to the gut. She shouldn't have agreed to the dance.

But now wasn't the time to think of that, what with the Fire Nation Soldiers pouring in- she gasped and backed away as they demanded to know who had started the dance party, and Aang's friend Shoji grabbed his arm.

"Don't worry Kuzon; we'll take care of it." He smiled and thanked him as On Ji hugged him tightly.

"Will you ever come back?" she asked quietly, and from the look on his face, she could tell he hadn't thought about it. His arms came up and encircled her waist, making the both of them blush, and he promised he'd be back. "Good," she said, and he beamed at her as the gang ran out the back entrance, towards Appa and on their way to the next stop in their adventures.

Zuko turned around and smiled as he saw Mai come over the crest of the hill. She was scowling as usual, but there was something in her expression that was softer than it used to be. For most of their lives they had been in each other's company, and right before he left, they had gone out a couple times. And now that he was once again home, Prince of the Fire Nation, it was hard to not pick up where he left off. He knew his heart belonged to Katara, but with every passing moment he and Mai got to be more comfortable around each other. They were good friends, even though she was often called away by his sister.

He didn't trust Azula. She'd been slightly more bearable when he had asked Mai out, but something was so deeply ingrained in her twisted mind that he knew she would never look at him with anything less than spite. And there were those strange moments when it was like she wasn't the one controlling her body- her eyes would go blank, and it was then that she was the cruelest.

Mai sat down next to him and cuddled her head against his chest as he absent mindedly wove his fingers through the midnight black hair at the nape of her neck. It was something he'd done to Katara way back when all of this had started, and he had felt all the anger in his dissipate as she smiled shyly and looked away. Mai hissed and jerked forward. "Quit it, that's annoying." she snapped, her rough voice reminding him strangely of a cat. He huffed out a breath and removed his arm, turning away from her and picking yellow blades of grass from the ground, watching them burn as he set fire to them.

"You never used to do that." she said abruptly, and he could feel her eyes on him. "In fact, you never used to do a lot of the things you do now- like going to visit a high security prisoner." His blood went cold as he turned around, growling at her. There was no possible way she'd caught him visiting Uncle- the guard must have told.

"How did you know that?" he demanded, and she lowered her head, biting her lip and dropping his scorching gaze. It confused him until he heard a malicious chuckle from behind them.

"You just told her, silly Zuzu." Azula sneered, stepping out from behind a tree and smirking delightedly. He all at once understood- Azula hadn't been looking out for her friend when she convinced Zuko to date her. Mai hadn't merely been listening to him for support, no doubt she'd told everything to Azula. His sister was smart enough to realize he would always be on his guard around her, so she had had Mai manipulate him into telling them exactly what they needed to hear. Zuko narrowed his eyes, glaring at them two of them and backing up. He'd been so stupid. He would never have friends here in this world of jealousy and betrayal- only an idiot would trust someone from his family.

"You rat," he spat at Mai, and she whipped her head around, her eyes surprised and hurt, but the set of her face determined and angry. Quick as a flash of lightning, a cut appeared on his cheek, and he clapped a burning hand to his cheek- she'd flung her weapon so fast that he hadn't had time to notice it. The blood seemed cool to his flaming hand, and he tried to calm himself down as she stepped closer. "Get away from me. I should have known I couldn't trust any of you." A tear slipped from her defenses and slid down her pale cheek, and it set him off. "I said go!" he roared, and twin flames shot out from his fists, slamming into the ground at her feet and singing her skirt. She stepped back unwillingly, but turned around.

"I have nothing left to say to you," she retorted, and began walking. Zuko turned to Azula, who watched the scenes with mild interest in her cold, golden eyes.

"Really now Zuko, must you be so hard on her? She only asked because I ordered her to, it's not as if she had any choice in the matter. After all, what are friends for?" When he didn't answer, she glanced down at her nails and curled them into talons, grinning mockingly. "Oh, dear me, I forgot- you have never had any friends, so you wouldn't know." She lithely dodged his half hearted ground flames and skidded back, all hints of teasing gone. "Listen, brother, I will only say this once. If you're visiting Uncle, it looks suspicious. I could go ahead and tell Father, but then I would lose my advantage- we both know that I will call in a favor soon enough, and that you will be powerless to do anything about it. Do you understand?" He nodded, his temper barely contained under his seething skin.

"Good. Now, I can tell that you're not entirely sure that the Avatar really is dead." He looked up, shocked, and gritted his teeth- was there anything she didn't know? "So you're going to seek out an old friend of mine and make sure he does what you and I could not." The thought seemed to set her teeth on edge, and he got a fierce joy from her discomfort. She handed him a small piece of parchment and he unrolled it, finding a name and a meeting place as well as a large sum of money. "If I were to be seen with him, it wouldn't bode well at all. But since you owe me, you're going to do as I say, and if you're caught, it will be one less obstacle I have to get rid of." She smiled nastily and turned away, striding away from him casually and following the distant figure that was Mai.

Zuko ran a hand through his unbound hair and frowned to himself. Azula had told him to make sure the Avatar was dead, but not any of his allies. He could still save Katara, and the other people she called friends. But could he really send someone to kill her best friend? It was crazy. She'd be crushed, and he couldn't do that to her.

An idea hit him straight in the face, and his lips curled into a disbelieving smile. It was such a simple answer- all he had to do was convince Father to send him away again. He stood up and glanced around at the darkening landscape, then took off silently for the prison, pulling his hood up as he walked and masking his footsteps in the night. He had to talk to Uncle about this- it was too dangerous to go for alone, and he had no one else he could trust.

**Okay, that's it for now! Hope you liked it!**

**Oh, and here's a little something to show that us authors do screw up: I accidentally mentioned Zuko's scar in the last chapter, forgetting that Katara healed it in Part One. My bad!**

**Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I am so so sorry that it took me this long to get over writer's block, I promise I'll never take a break that long again. Sorry for the inconvenience, I understand if you guys all hate me right now. Please forgive me, I am so ashamed. Please enjoy this new chapter, and thanks to all you people who reviewed- reading your comments reminded me just how much I wanted for this story. Thanks!**

Zuko breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the flash of blue in the forests- they were close, almost close enough to touch. He strained his eyes for a hint of her face, anything to suggest that she was still doing alright, but as luck would have it, the trees obscured his view.

It was only hours later that they arrived at the Western Air Temple, and that he slid down a rope right after them. He gritted his teeth- he could hear Katara talking, her melodic voice carrying through the grounds and bouncing off the strange temples. He couldn't tell her he was here, not yet- the assassin wouldn't strike if he knew Zuko was there, because it was Zuko who held the purse strings. He dropped to the ground and rolled behind a statue of a monk as the group of bedraggled teens made camp, listening to them worry about their parents, about the failed invasion plan. He felt guilt burning in the pit of his stomach, knowing that it was his own father who had caused all the misery.

Katara sat staring into the fire, thinking of her father- she'd been so angry at him lately, then as soon as they had gotten things resolved, they had been ripped apart again. _Stupid Fire Nation_, she thought, then caught herself and shook her head, feeling a jolt of shame at the thought. Zuko was proof that not all Fire Nation was bad, even if he was conspicuously absent. Not to mention the fact that he hadn't done anything when Aang was almost destroyed, or that the half-remembered dreams she had of him were the only contact between them in what seemed like forever. Every time his face blossomed into her mind, it was a sharp reminder of her empty arms, of the fact that there were lingering doubts in her mind of his sincerity.

"I still need you," she muttered quietly. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around, seeing Aang staring back at her with his childish grey eyes. She blushed wildly, remembering the last time they had been alone together. Everyone else was exploring the temple or sitting off in the shade, but she had chosen to sit by the fire, trying to recall exactly how it had felt when Zuko's hot arms had wrapped around her. She regretted the choice now that her best friend had cornered her- he wordlessly grabbed her hand, pulling her up and around the bend to where no one else could see. "Aang-" she started, but he interrupted her.

"Don't worry Katara, I'm not going to try to kiss you again, I just want to talk." She bit her lip at the bitterness in his voice, and gently pulled her hand away from his. Before the invasion, she'd wished him good luck, and in turn found his lips against her own- fury had roared through her, and she'd shoved him away, hissing angrily. The moment it was over, she'd seen everything he'd felt in his eyes- there was love, which hurt her deeper than she could describe, and there was shame, humiliation and sadness. _Nothing you can do now,_ she thought, and shivered.

"Look, Aang, I'm really sorry for the way I acted right before the invasion- I never meant to hurt you, or lead you on or anything, I just really… Zuko is…"

"Don't apologize, Katara." he said, and looked away from her, his shoulders drooping under the weight of the situation. "I know that you love him, but- well I want you to know that if he doesn't turn out the way you want him to, you'll have me. I can wait for you."

She swallowed the lump in her throat and twitched her fingers, desperately trying to contain her tears. "I don't know what to do. I love him, but…" she hesitated, then went on in a shaky voice, "I haven't heard from him in a while and- I just sometimes wonder if he loves me like I-" Aang whirled around, looking desperately into her eyes.

"Don't you realize that I'm the right one for you? Katara, he left you! He's Fire Nation royalty, and on top of everything else, he's hurt you so much in the past- I've been here for you. You never have to worry about how much I love you, because it's not going to change!" Wind howled around her for just a moment as his passion reached a peak, then he dropped her gaze and glared instead at the floor. She could see tears glistening in his eyes as well, and when he once again turned away from her, all she could stare at was the puckered, angry scar that Azula had left in the center of his back.

"I can't talk about this right now," she said numbly, and in seconds she was flat out running, away from Aang, away from the fury she held for the boy she loved, away from everything that tore her apart inside.

Zuko kept his breathing steady all throughout Katara and Aang's discussion, it was only when he knew they had left that he allowed himself to sink into the ground and bury his head in his hands. He should have expected that she'd been angry with him. He had known all along that he was coming back to her, but she'd had to deal with the uncertainty, and it had changed their bond. It was so much more fragile- he could tell that the little trust she'd given him had been worn away, like a pattern on a rock is worn down by waves crashing against it.

Suddenly the ground around him exploded, and he cried out, swinging himself up onto the ledge of a window as the rock crumbled beneath his feet. He heard screams and looked around wildly for the assassin, his heart beating in his throat. "No!" he roared, and propelled himself onto the next platform, running towards the sight of the large man who could explode the ground. He'd kept him from attacking so far- he cursed himself, furious that he'd gotten too caught up in the conversation between Aang and Katara to look out for the assassin. Another blast shook the ground beneath him, and he gritted his teeth as columns of stones collapsed behind him, where Katara was. A quick prayer went up to Agni as flames licked in the palms of his hands, and he was almost certain the sunshine intensified minimally at his request to keep her safe. He sprung off the rock and grabbed hold of a vine, dangling dangerously above empty space as he began to climb, hand over hand, to where the exploding man was standing.

Katara threw herself behind a pillar just as the statue she'd been taking cover under shattered in a fiery blast of rock and flames. She felt Sokka brush against her and saw Aang helping Toph up, and thanked Yue that none of the other children were out in the open. Toph was whimpering in pain, the first blast has burned the soles of her feet severely. She couldn't attack from the angle she was in, and a frantic sort of helplessness overwhelmed her. She sank to the ground as something flashed through her mind- the face of the young man she'd been unable to keep alive, then her mother's dead body.

Sokka moved from beside her and she grabbed at him, pleading with him to stop, but her voice was lost among the next explosion. She tugged his sleeve desperately, thinking, _you can't leave me too,_ but he grabbed her wrist and looked at her reassuringly. She let go and wove water between her fingers, ready for an attack. He ducked behind a fallen boulder and surveyed the scene quickly, his eyes widening as he caught sight of something. All at once, the world went silent, and she heard a familiar shout- "No!" Sokka flung himself back to their hiding place and took his boomerang from its sheath.

"Zuko's here. He's fighting the dude who's attacking us." Katara gasped and stuck her head around the cliff just in time to see the larger man throw her beloved to the ground. He rolled and laid still, and fear stuck in her throat. She moved forward with her hands drawn out towards the fountain, and a huge wave rose up on her side. She watched as Zuko picked himself up, and just then, she saw a movement from the corner of her eye. Sokka pitched his weapon forward, watching the object fly to the side, and in a millisecond, Katara knew who he was aiming at. She flexed her fingers and flicked one out as fast as she could, creating a long, thin needle of ice. Sokka howled in outrage beside her as it deflected his attack at the last second, and the collision was enough to make it miss Zuko's head by a foot and strike the man right in the middle of his forehead. She felt her brother grab her roughly around the waist and haul her down, and she struggled uselessly, crying out and trying to see what was going on. He let her go and she bolted out into the open again, just in time to watch as the cliffside was blasted to pieces.

"Zuko!" she screamed. The whole world stopped. The smoke billowed slowly as she searched desperately for any sign that he'd made it out alive, that her sudden horrific fears were nothing more than baseless assumptions. She stepped forward, almost as if in a dream, and saw nothing but the rocks crumbling. She whispered his name, the feeling of it not registering on her numb lips. Her eyes remained focused on the ledge, though it was consumed by smoke. "Please," she whimpered.

The silence was deafening, his ears were ringing and his vision was red. He could feel that his arm was swaying over nothing, but the rest of his body was heavy on the ground. The world faded in and out in his vision, and he trembled, struggling away from the darkness. Burns covered his forearms, the evidence of how he'd escaped the surprise blast. The blow to the head had made the assassin's third eye malfunction, and Zuko had had only a few seconds of warning. He'd rolled to the edge of the cliff and hung over it, intending to drop onto the next level down- but he'd waited a second too long, and a rock had come hurtling towards him with the heat of the explosion. His fingers had slid free of the earth when the stone cracked his head, and the flames, so unlike his own fire, scorched his forearms.

He groaned and tried to lift his head, tried to roll away from the precipice he was laying on, but pain wracked his body and he only got as far as flipping over onto his stomach as the world suddenly spun and writhed like a living animal. "Katara," he groaned, and slowly began to drag himself to where she waited for him. He could feel the blood dripping into his eyes, but she was so close, she was right there, all he had to do was make it to her. A flash of red caught his gaze and he torturously turned his head to the side.

A great crimson air ship was slowly rising through the cavern, and on deck was none other than his sister. Energy surged through his body and he moved faster, desperate to keep Katara safe, even as a foreboding laugh chilled the air.

**Again, sorry, and I would be honored by a review. Sorry.**


End file.
